Phytoplankton starter culture - Calgary

[abcha0s]

Originally Posted by Seamazter

I do have some 1st hand knowlage to add on the tigerpods.
I did buy a bottle after seeing this thread start, just to see what i learned to be the truth.
I added about 90% to a small 2.5 gallon tank, added a slow bubble airsource, and a small amount of live phytoplankton and some crushed flake(formula 2).
The 10% in the bottle are sitting here on my desk on a small usb chiller (meant for chilling drinks on the computer).
The 2.5 gallon in the last week has doubled in growth at normal room tempurtare 78 F.
The small bottle here on the usb chiller has not had any change at all, they are still swimming and active, just a little less active as the room temputare tank.

From my observations this last week, i have noticed the warmer temputure tank has indeed blossemed, the lower temp, in the origninal bottle has also done well however if they are indeed cold water, my money woulda been on the cooler bottle doubling the density.

Im certain with my own review of the tigerpod brand, that they are more prolific in the larger container at normal room temp.

As a result i must agree that they will reproduce in the warmer tank waters that we like to keep our reefs at, those of you running at 80 F may not experience the same growth that i have just seen, however in a reef tank with the turbulance of the pumps and other factors, i would suggest adding to a true refugium with low flow and plenty of places for refuge such as some type of macro algae.

The question remains whether Tigriopus Califoricus are of any benifit in a reef tank. Your experiment does provide some good information, but it is limited to validating the success of the species in a low flow closed environment.

For my experiment, I dumped 2 bottles (4000+ specimens) directly into the sump. Within 2-3 days, they were all gone.

I would like to know where others have had success in using the Tigger-Pods as part of their food web. What fish have you seen eat them in a reef tank?

I know they are great for Sea Horses (low flow) and in FOWLR (low flow) tanks, but are they of any benifit in a reef tank (high flow).

Even if the population of your external culture doubled every week, my feeling is that once added to your tank they will quiickly perish regardless of the numbers introduced. If they die before they are eaten, then all you are really doing is adding nutrients to your water.

[phyto4life]

my last large copepod popuation tank I had was a skimmerless/refugeless tank with mass dosing of phytoplanton in which was slowly dosed 2 x a day and the daily amount of phyto was slowly increased over time as the consumer's increased

[abcha0s]

The very best collection of copepod culturing articles that I have ever come across.

http://www.zeovit.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7346

Brad

[Seamazter]

Great link.